Circle of Detectives (SYOC)
by Writing Addict Tsukasa
Summary: (SYOC Open) Join a group of detectives of all ages, backgrounds, and tales as they go around and solve mysteries. But as criminals begin to come out of the woodwork, their very lives may be put on the line in order to solve the toughest of cases.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Great Three Detectives**

"Within the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, throughout all the wards and around all the streets, there are legends of three great detectives" an older woman says as she pours a man a cup of tea, as they sit on a terrace during a sunny day. "And as other detectives flock to challenge them, these great three stand above all others".

"ANd so...I can hire one of these three? Or all of them? Please, my son is missing! The police are making no progress! I just...I want to have my son back! Please!"

"If it is answers you speak of, the police might provide that one day. But if it is hope, miracles, that you seek...then they are the ones to go to. But be warned. The three great detectives are not people like others. Each and every one of them is eccentric in their own way..."

Meanwhile, in an alley...

"I am afraid that this is the end for you, you two. Did you think you would just be able to escape and steal way the girl our boss wants?!"

"I am not his girl! I love my boyfriend!"

"Well too bad! Cause you dont get a say! We killed your mother, and if you dont comply, we will kill him as well!"

As they said this, an orphan walked into the alley, wearing a short sleeved hooded jacket. This drew their attention, but the orphan, and them, were startled as a spotlight lit up from the end of the alley, and various shadows of policeman draped upon them.

"Everyone freeze!" a cold voice spoke out through a megaphone they couldn't see thanks to the blinding light. "You are all under arrest! Get down on the ground!"

"Screw that!" one said, aiming for the orphan...when suddenly, that orphan side stepped him and punched him in the gut, using his own force against him to bring him down. He then moved deflty and fast, and he was hard to keep watch as they were still recovering from the shock of the blinding light. He moved around the second guy, kicked him in the back of the leg with great force, and then jumped up and kicked him in the head. The man fell to the ground in pain, as the last one realized what was going on...when he was suddenly dogpiled on.

But rather then officers, it was children who swarmed them, forcing them into handcuffs and rendering them harmless. The boy put his hood down as the lights were turned off, revealing the shadows to be projections of cardboard cutouts of police officers. And they recognized his face.

"Now now, thanks for confessing" the eleven year old boy said as a shorter boy in glasses came over with a video camera, showing the confession on tape. "And thus, as deduced, this is the end of the show. You morons should be more careful next time".

Yoshio Kobayashi, or in western format, Kobayashi Yoshio. Super genius boy detective. Leader of the Alley Street Irregulars.

Despite being only eleven years old, he was a master detective who even has permission to carry weapons and firearms.

ANd on the other side of town...

A man collapsed in shock, as a dark haired man in glasses rose with a stern look and a sinister smile.

"How...how could you possible know that..."

"That you were secretly conducting illegal organ harvesting out of your businesses? That you wanted to be bought in by us so that you could leave quietly with the profits and lay the blame at our feet? It was all rather simple, really" the dark haired man said. "Honestly, your criminal plan was not even third rate, it was fourth rate".

"Im-impossible! There is no way someone like you could have seen through everything!"

"Oh, if only you knew how foolish those words were" the man said, revealing the M on his ring. "Here at Moriarty Industries, we could easily come up with a plan far greater then what you did if we wanted to".

As he said that, police officers came in from a hidden room.

"Especially me, as its CEO, James Moriarty".

James Moriarty. Leader of a Global Organization that provides all sorts of things and services, possibly one of the most powerful organizations in the world if not the most powerful. Brilliant Mastermind.

And then, at the same time at the mall...

"Impossible! There is no way an old geezer like you could possibly know the truth!"

"Now now, old geezer? Those are some words" a man with a mustache said as he stepped forward. "I am simply experienced and as such, can clearly know when someone is telling lies such as yourself. Finding the evidence, such as the gun you taped under the wheelchair of a child. It was quite easy to catch you".

"Damn you...who do you think you are?!"

"Hercule Poirot, of course" the man said as he put on his hat. "At your service".

The man tried to attack him, but he was tackled to the ground by a female detective and arrested. Poirot just stood and smiled.

Hercule Poirot, an old man and former police detective. Now an old but famous private investigator.

Back at the porch...

"Those three are the greatest detectives around. There was a fourth, but...he was only here when there were two great minds. Who knows though, maybe you will meet him one day".

"The three greatest detectives?"

"Yes, but there are many others. They all come here at some point or another" the woman mentioned with a smile. "But just be warned, they might not...get along. But if you want all three of them, and more, I can surely convince them".

"Yes! Please! I will pay any amount!"

"Very well...as the organizer of the Detective's Circle, I, Mrs. Hudson, shall gather all the detectives I can muster" she replied, as she took out her phone and sent a single message to a group text.

The gathering of Detectives had begun, and the case was on.

* * *

Welcome on, welcome all, to my detectives SYOC! As you may have noticed, the first few of our group is based off of classics, so I hope you enjoy! Wanted to do something unique and interesting, but also something classic with throwbacks. Anyways, so here are the rules! You can submit mystery ideas and concepts, or characters! Characters however must be submitted with at least three mysteries with them! Submissions must be written with proper grammar and spelling, and be reasonable in design, though artistic and creative flaire is allowed. And they cannot be perfect either.

Oh, and not everyone can be buff or look like movie stars or the like.

On a side note, I went with a child, a man, and an old man for the three to give coverage to all the areas and make it easier to balance submissions!

And now, for the sheet!

Name:

Age:

Nicknames:

Physical Description: (not clothing, but how they are built, their height, weight, ect).

Typical Clothing:

Residency:

Skills:

Backgrounds:

Likes:

Dislikes:

Quirks:

Favorite Food:

Deduction Style: (Are you more in the face? Do you handle things calmly? Or do you like to put on a show, and be all out dramatic?)

Fighting Styles:

Weapons and Tools:

Other:

Sidenote: If you want to make a detective's assistant, a police character, or other such things, this is also fine. Even criminals, especially criminals, would help! YOu do not have to name your character off of other detectives.


	2. Chapter 2: The Missing Makoto Case

**Chapter 2: The Missing Makoto Case**

Author's Note: So a bit of an early update, mainly because I had already been working on the chapter to make sure I could write mysteries properly, so hope you enjoy! Did make some additions thanks to some submissions that were sent though! Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

"Mrs. Hudson? We are here!" a white haired boy called out as he came through the door, with a black haired boy wearing a backwards red cap, a green vest, and a black T shirt along with some jeans, and a smaller boy with teal hair, wearing glasses, a blue and black short sleeve shirt, and some tan cargo shorts. As for the white haired boy, he was wearing a grey short sleeve jacket with a hood, a red T shirt, green cargo shorts, and some sturdy boot like sneakers.

"Hello there, Ko-chan, Aki-chan, Yuu-chan" Mrs. Hudson replied from the kitchen as the boys took off their shoes. "And do remember to line your shoes up neatly, please!"

Hearing those words, the three boys did so. Even though "Ko-chan" and "Aki-chan", or by their full names, Yoshio Kobayashi and Yusha Akira, seemed like the energetic and mischievous sort, they both obeyed Mrs. Hudson's instructions to the letter.

"Ko-chan, the other two dears are waiting for you in the next room. Please bring five teacups in for me. Aki-chan, Yuu-chan, please leave the other children's homework by the dining room table. And I left some quizzes there I want you to finish by the time we are done. No looking up answers!"

"Yes Ma'am!" they replied, as Mrs Hudson came from behind and hugged the three of them.

"Now now, while respecting your elders is good, no need to be so stiff you three boys. Ah, but make sure you behave!"

"Try to keep calm Boss!" Akira replied.

"I will make sure to do well on the quiz!" Yuu responded.

Meanwhile, Kobayashi went and got five teacups, taking them into a back room. It was a well lit room with two large windows, and it had plenty of wallspace and chairs around a large wooden table. The table had an engraving of a magnifying class in the center, as requested by Mrs. Hudson herself. And in the room, there were two others. A black haired man who appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties, and an older man. They were dealing with the other table settings, and once the three had finished, they sat around the table, equal distance from each other.

"Little boys like yourself should really be in school right now" the older man, Poirot, remarked.

"Indeed. Just like how old men should just retire and leave it to those with strength and energy, little boys should just obediently go to school and not meddle in affairs" Moriarty added.

"Well CEOs and Masterminds should stay in their cushy offices, and not interfere in matters that require true detectives" Kobayashi responded. "And old men who have to use the police to help them, instead of their own good trusted group, will distract them while they can do the other boring stuff only police can do".

The tensions between the three rose. Kobayashi didn't trust Moriarty nor Poirot. Moriarty he was sure was some sort of criminal mastermind, maybe Ex-Criminal Mastermind if Mrs Hudson allowed him here, and Poirot just felt a tad bit unstable and stuck in his ways. And while Kobayashi had to recognize the three of them had similarities, including owing a great debt to Mrs. Hudson and other common traits, Moriarty tried to hide his bad traits, while Poirot just accepted and didn't try to change them.

Moriarty meanwhile did not particularly like or trust Poirot and Kobayashi, though for different reasons. For Poirot, he believes the man is simply too polite and too arrogant, as he feels the man does not come up with anywhere near enough safeguards or insurance policies, and he acts brashly. As for Kobayashi, he feels the boy gets way too emotional for a detective, even though he seems capable of acting cool and hiding it, his tendency to act on his heart is clear as day.

Poirot meanwhile has many of those same issues with Kobayashi. The boy is rather brash at times, and compared to Poirot's belief in logic, Kobayashi puts far too much heart then he should into every case. More then one time he has seen Kobayashi rush right into the flames, both figuratively and literally, and rather then a detective, he seems more like a gambler. As for Moriarty, he was sure that Moriarty has some sort of dark and sinister past, and has heard tales of clashes between him and another detective, Sherlock Holmes, who has seemingly disappeared now. ANd this Moriarty for some reason became a detective. Supposedly, Mrs Hudson got involved though, so he had to considered that he really did change or such.

"Ow!" Akira squeeled from the other room, which made Kobayashi want to sigh. He probably did bad on his homework, or such.

"To think you would bother Mrs. Hudson with your group's education though...truly shameful".

"Now now, you three better not be fighting!" Mrs Hudson said as she came in with a man. He was wearing a nice suit, and he sat down in a seat next to Kobayashi as Mrs. Hudson sat down in her seat. "ANd I am happy to teach them. Not like anyone else will".

"""We are sorry, Mrs. Hudson""" the three of them said.

"That's better. Now, do your best to not fight and get along with each other. You all have so much in common too, I am surprised by this. Anyways, this is the client. He has a case that requires everyone's attentions today".

The three of them perked up. Normally, only one or two of them would take a case from Mrs. Hudson at a time, it was rare a case called for her saying they needed all three of them. Well, at least the three of them. Who knows what other detectives would come to take on the challenge as well.

"Please...you have to help me! My son, Makoto, is missing! He has been missing for two days now, but the police are getting nowhere! Even though he disappeared on the street, for some reason my apartment is being treated as a crime scene!"

_They suspect the father?_

_The mother is not here, just the father?_

_He seems very unstable..._

"I see...when and where was the last time he was spotted?" Kobayashi asked.

"On his way home from his elementary school" the father, Kazuka Koto replied. Incidentally, he was an executive for a local banking company. However, there has been no sign of ransom yet. "I think it was the owner of a local bagel shop that supposedly saw him pass. He was apparently a block away...please, you have to find him! I cant lose him too!"

Kobayashi narrowed his eyes, and wondered.

"Do you have a recent picture of him?" Poirot requested, watching the man's suit.

The father spent no time on quickly reaching into his pocket with his right hand and taking out a picture. The boy was in a bathing suit and seemed to be near the ocean, but what caught Kobayashi's eye was how worn it was. There was even a coffee stain in the corner. And he looked happy.

"I see...on the off chance its relevant, what happened to your wife?" Moriarty inquired.

"SHe...she also disappeared...two years ago..." he said, crying. "She still has not been found, but...the police told me a year ago she was likely dead. This is her".

He then took out another picture, even more worn, of his wife.

So the boy disappeared in the span of one block, afternoon after school, and no one has any idea where he went. A block from home, without a word. Inside the bustling, camera filled city full of eyes. And yet, there was no ransom note. He just played with the ring on his right hand, his wedding ring. It looked rather nice, but he could not help but fidget with it.

"Understood" Kobayashi said, as he stood up. "Then we have no time to lose".

"Indeed" Poirot said, standing up next.

"Then the game is on" Moriarty finished.

As Kobayashi left, Akira and Yuu handed in their own quizzes and then took off with him. Moriarty had a driver pick him up, while Poirot just began walking in the opposite direction.

"So, Boss, what is the case?"

"Boy has been kidnapped. Went missing between his home in Tsukuko Appartments and the Bagel place a block away. Father...is both involved, and not involved".

"Involved and not involved? Sounds like a headache".

"Yes. His wife disappeared two years ago, get word out, I want to hear about her. And expect additional competition to join. This case is about a missing child. Mrs. Hudson will call everyone she can reach in on this" Kobayashi mentioned. Yuu took out a smart phone and began sending mass messages to various groups.

"About that bagel places...its called Bountiful Bagels. Its family owned, a nice place. Ah! Riku gets bagels there for us all from time to time! This place is pretty upscale though, our information network doesn't spread well in the high end neighborhoods".

"Riku visits there though, right?"

"Oh! That hole in the wall arcade, the vintage place he wants us to check out, is in that area!"

"Oohhh?" Kobayashi said. "I assume that means this place is not widely known about, so people can slip in and out easily from the street?"

"Yep...and its likely a kid's paradise. Riku enjoys it a lot after all".

"Well then, get Riku to meet us there and show us where it is. And I want a message sent out as well, spread the web and look for the wife as well as the son. It may have been two years, but our info net is far greater then that".

"So, you want me and Ruko to check the datanet?" Yuu asked.

"Yeah, and ask Ayumi and Kaori to check in with the pleasure establishments".

"Understood!"

"Time is working against us, so we have no time to spare! Lets get moving!"

And so, Kobayashi deployed his group, the Alley Street Irregulars, to begin the search.

* * *

Moriarty sat down at his computer, and called up a special program. Requiring three passwords with no hints and instant lockup for a single error, he entered them all flawlessly, and brought up a special program. It allowed him access to the entire database of security cameras for all companies with a link to him, including the ones that make the traffic security cameras and ATM cameras.

The key Moriarty focused on was his profession. Banker. That is a lot of money. The no demands thing, or at least this long of delay, is an anomaly. Which meant it was an unusual situation, a red herring, or the boy himself had something he needed. Then he remembered something, a company that he had looked into, but was bought by a bank before he could go after it. Even with all his resources, he had those resources because he knew not to waste them. It looked like...they had been working on banking software though, for a long time. DNA recognition.

Moriarty was starting to see a big picture as he looked forward, and noticed various transactions. They were buying computers, hardware, even robotics. They planned to update their banking procedures, make them even tougher. But during a transition...that is when its the best time to strike. But as a result, the bank had prepared for that, built quite a large amount of security.

It seemed they even had offsite servers of some kind, but the data appeared to be encrypted or something. The number changes were weird though...

"I see...so this is what happened".

"In addition sir, we have reports of a woman that has been asking around. A miss Scarlet?"

* * *

Poirot sat in a little café, drinking some tea as a police technicial, a young lad named Yamaki sat across from him.

"Did you find them?"

"Yes, Poirot-dono. The reports filed with the police and detectives that were on the missing wife case two years ago. Apparently, the father and son were both so begreeved, neither of them left the apartment for a month after her disappearance. The husband was investigated, but there was no evidence of a body there. However, he did notice that many things were taken, and the day she disappeared, the apartment was a mess like someone ransacked it".

"I see...and then, the son returned to school?"

"Yes...he was acting a bit off, but that is normal when your mother disappears at age eight".

"And yet, they managed to be happy once more...anything else?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. The husband kept getting mail and mail orders for the wife for a good amount of time after her disappearance, he couldn't bring himself to stop and accept she was gone".

"Sounds like an honestly grieving husband" Poirot mentioned. "Yes, when one loses family, it can bring them to tears and despair. Anything recently about the company?"

"They are importing a lot of new tech and doing a lot of updates, apparently automating a lot of things to make it easier for customers to use their systems. As such, it might make them vulnerable to theft".

"Well, that certainly is a motive...anything else?"

"Yes...there were some kids earlier, asking Detective Overshare...err, Detective Otsuka about the case as well. Concerned friends?"

"You have not met them yet? They were likely from the Alley Street Irregulars".

"That group of famous child investigators led by Yoshio Kobayashi?!"

"Indeed. A group of orphans with nowhere to go, unusuals who dont fit in elsewhere that grouped together" Poirot mentioned. "Thanks for the tip".

* * *

Kobayashi left a bar, looking a bit satisfied. Standing outside and holding a pipe, Akira was waiting for him.

"So, you get what you needed?"

"Yeah, though I must say, the case has taken an interesting turn. The forger in question made two IDs".

"Two?"

"Yeah...I think I have it all in place".

The two said that, leaving the shady alley and walking into a very nice and pristine street of upper class society. Even here, there were shady places like that. Incidnetally, the hole in the wall they were heading to next was just across the street.

"So, this is the arcade where he disappeared?"

"We will see in a moment" Kobayashi mentioned, as he walked through an unmarked door in an alley, and headed down some stairs. It did not take long to reach the arcade from there, and it was surely something.

"Hey hey...aren't those the legendary arcade consoles? All limited edition Star Blasters?"

"Yeah...and that is the original Pacman machine".

"The original original?!"

"Indeed. This place is rather classy" Kobayashi said, as he went over to the manager. "The kid who went missing yesterday, Makoto, did you see him in here?"

"Ah, Makoto-kun? Yes, he came in here the other day! He is missing?"

The guy seemed a bit eccentric as he looked at the two of them, but Kobayashi could tell he was harmless.

"I see...did he leave with anyone?"

"Yes! Oh no...I thought it was okay though, since he had good news and everything".

"Good news?"

"He said that his mom had been found, and he had been sent by the police to pick him up and take him to her. At first, he was shocked and surprised, saying it was impossible, but the man confirmed it, and showed him a video of her, voice and everything. The boy went with him after that. It said something like 'My son, I missed you!' Ah, since I wanted to see if it was really okay, I followed to be safe, but they quickly got into a white van and drove off".

This puzzled Kobayashi greatly for a moment, but he shrugged it off as he considered a possibility. "Alright, thanks".

With that, they parted ways with the manager. Kobayashi was still a bit puzzled.

"So, how much you got?"

"Well, now I have one of the wheres, and the how. The who is kind of generic, I think. What I dont understand is the contradiction".

As he said that, he got a notice on his phone.

"Ah, its time for the meetup".

"Alright, try not to fight with those two! We dont have time to spare!"

"I know, I know!"

Before they could get far though, the manager came back.

"Sorry, but I forgot to mention. There was a woman who came by earlier...she was asking the same questions you were".

"A woman...ahh, Mrs. Hudson did probably contact other detectives. Did she ask about anything else?"

"She mentioned something about bank foreclosurers…"

With that, Kobayashi realized something as he went for the meetup. Unknowingly, there was a woman who was watching him from behind a corner, listening in.

"The twist huh? Well, if I am right about what led him there, then I am sure my theory is right" she mentioned, before heading off into the shadows.

* * *

Kobayashi, Moriarty, and Poirot faced each other in an apartment, one of many safehouses Mrs. Hudson maintained.

"So then, shall we compare notes?" Moriarty asked.

"Lets do it then".

"Indeed".

"I have the how, the why, and one of the wheres" Moriarty mentioned.

"I have the motive, a rough idea of where they are held, and the who" Poirot mentioned.

"I might not have the motive secured yet like you two do, but what I do have is the abduction crimescene for the boy" Kobayashi mentioned, surprising them both. "And I also have a somewhat good idea of what happened, with a few blanks that need filling. Well?"

"They have been recently refitting the bank with extra tech" Moriarty mentioned. "They recently bought a lot of tech and computer companies to do so too under their own perview".

"That makes their security tight for sure. But it also left those businesses abandoning some office space, and even buildings. The hostages are being held there".

Kobayashi made note of that, and then contributed his own.

"The voice of his mother was used to lure him. He was so shocked, saying things like 'impossible' and such" Koba explained.

"They have his mother?" Poirot questioned.

"Or its faked. Perhaps they somehow got her voice somehow and artificially reproduced it" Moriarty added.

"Oh, and the amount of IDs made were two".

This caught Poirot by surprise.

"Then..."

"I see I see" Moriarty mentioned. "So that is the catch".

Kobayashi seemed a bit shocked. The catch was...

_Oh...yes. I think I see the full picture now. _

"Then in that case..."

"We probably dont have long. The father is in danger".

"The son is in danger".

"Then its time to move...speaking of which". Kobayashi started, when he looked back at Moriarty and Poirot.

"There is another detective homing in? Yes, I heard" Moriarty replied. "So then the location..."

"It has to be that place! Because among all of the businesses, they have to at least have one!"

* * *

Dayana Scarlet did not waste time running around. Although normally she was not a big fan of high society and rich people like the supposed client, she wasn't a big fan of crimes against children either. And with the rumors going around she kept chasing, about The Institute, about organ trafficking, and other groups, her hatred of them had only grown. To her, it was personal.

And so, she chased down the location. She didn't much care about who did it, so long as she got a where they were she could deal with it. And so, she rushed in, only to see in dimly lit light, an adult man tied to the chair. She rushed over to help him, when suddenly a cage was dropped right on top of them both. Yes, a cage. Dayana was not sure what to comment on, the fact there was a cage in a computer factory, or the fact that it was a ridiculously cartoonish theatric. Though...as a result, there were no doors to lockpick, the bars were solid metal, and the man in front of her...was the corpse of the father. Kazuka Koto. He looked like he had been tortured. However, the boy was nowhere around.

"Well now, sweetie, you fell right for the trap. So you were the novice detective running around, thinking they could catch us. I must admit, you got really close".

A few strong looking thugs came out, smiling wickedly while holding various pipes and rods and such. However, there was a reason for that. The walls were either metal or cement. If one fired a gun in here, it would ricochet and potentially kill the shooter.

"I must say...wait, hold on...what were the descriptions of the detectives? I dont think a woman was among them".

"It was an old man...a younger man, and a brat".

"Hey, I think I found the brat though! Tried sneaking in the back!" a man said, as he dragged in a white haired boy. It was Kobayashi, who was thrown on the floor.

"Ah, good work. We have been looking for you...the most famous orphan in Tokyo. Men, undress him. We need his clothes, afterwards we can just burn the body. Bring them to the back to..."

Suddenly, as one of the man approached Kobayashi, he quickly moved around and kicked the front and back of the man's legs while lying on the ground, causing the man to trip over and hit his head on the cement floor while he jumped up.

"What the...this brat! Guys in the back, get over here!"

Even through there were already twelve guys, thirteen including the one on the ground, here to fight Kobayashi, they called in a few more guys in the back.

"Hey, now those guys were not the strongest you had right?" a boy in a red cap holding a pipe covered in blood said as he walked calmly into the room. Seeing this, two of the more muscular people went after him, but he smashed their legs in with a pipe and then elbowed them in the guts, causing them to be knocked back in pain. By an eleven year old.

But one of them recognized Akira.

"Hold on...isn't that Lil Beserker?! That brat who for some reason has the physical strength of a wrestler?!"

Akira just smiled. "What? Scared?"

Even though Akira looked thin, he did look a little tough. However, certainly not muscular to hold the kind of strength they indicated. But that was because he was unique.

"Allow me to inform you of something. We dont call ourselves the Alley Street Irregulars for nothing" Kobayashi mentioned.

Two men rushed at Kobayashi, but they were both shot in the legs as Moriarty and Poirot came out.

"Rushing in without a plan as usual".

"Could you not at least wait a little bit?"

Moriarty then signaled to a man that came with him, and he grabbed the pulley system to raise the cage Dayana was trapped in. At first glance, they might not look like much, but right now...she could tell. They were the real deal when it came to detectives.

"Now, which one of you did the terrible acting job?" Moriarty asked. "I mean, who protected to be the father earlier today, to get us searching in the wrong direction while also making it appear the father was not captured?"

"The body is clearly a day old" Poirot mentioned. "So one of you impersonated him".

"It was really easy to figure out" Kobayashi mentioned. "After all, people tend to put wedding rings on their non dominant hand. As it turns out, Kazuka Papa over there is a lefty, so that is why he wore the ring on his right hand".

One of the men clicked their tongue's, and stepped forward. He appeared to be the leader.

"You idiots...I would have thought failures who could not join the police force would never be able to find us here, especially if only the son was missing, not the husband".

"Well, you left quite the trail yourself. I mean, to be fair though, while they did try to hide it, a local bank in Tokyo doing well enough to buy out companies that deal in electronics and computers? They made themselves the target. Though I must admit, their ability to hide the encoding was clever. I guess that is why you did all this".

"Do you even truly understand what is going on?"

"Of course".

"And anything left over, we will get from your mouth".

"Though, I have already solved all the mysteries" Kobayashi mentioned. "Its really quite simple. I must admit, I was rather shocked when I figured it out. But that's enough talk, will you surrender quietly, or go to jail?"

"Damnit...get them!"

Kobayashi then clapped his hands together, and the lights went out. In the mean time, lots of movement was heard, and by the time the lights came back on, the room was filled with SWAT and seucirty forces that had charged in. It was already an overwhelming force. However, Moriarty and Poirot looked around. Kobayashi was gone, as well as Dayana.

As the swat did a search though, they quickly came back with a set of boy's clothes, discarded. The same ones that Makoto had been wearing. Additionally, they found charred bones.

"It appears they already got what they wanted" SWAT Commander Mouri mentioned. However, Moriarty and Poirot saw this, and took their leave...smiling.

* * *

Meanwhile, a good distance away, in an alley, Yuu was pulling a red wagon down the street. It had a blanket tightly secured over it, and it was brought into a door of a bathhouse located near the red light district. Inside was Kobayashi, Akira, and others from their group, though only a few. Yuu quickly got undressed and joined them, and they all headed into a mixed bathing area. Even though they were boys and girls, children of a number of ages, they all seemed comfortable being naked around each other.

Kobayashi then pulled the blanket off, revealing a naked, living boy under it. That said, many thought he could probably pass as a girl too. The boy looked up on them as he stood up, embarrassed. Kazuka Makoto was definently embarrassed.

"Was this really necessary?"

"It was. After all, if the police dug any further, they would probably find out the truth, would could complicate matters. Besides, this is where me and a few other leaders of the Alley Street Irregulars always hold meetings" Kobayashi explained, as the children make sure to toss their towels to the side after Yuu and a few others used devices that detected listening devices and cleared the towels. "No one can overhear us if they bugged our clothes, because we are all naked. You cant hide listening devices in a wet, damp envirornment, they would break and become nonfunctional. People cannot enter here with cameras and such, they would be too inconspicuous. All of our phones are in the changing room, so no one can overhear us either. This is where we can hold our meetings safely, talk about things we dont want being overheard. After all...your not really human, are you?"

As he said that, Kobayashi could not hold back his curiosity and began to pinch, squeeze, and feel various parts of his body.

"Wow, this feels exactly like real skin. I cant even see the hidden circuitry or tell its fake muscles, its that good! Oh, this even feels like real muscle!"

"Erm...you do realize you look like a pervert right...now".

Suddenly, Akira was also doing the same thing.

"So wait, he is...not human?" A girl asked, finding everything that was happening normal.

Makoto looked at Kobayashi. "How did you realize it...that I was an advanced AI in an artificial body?"

Kobayashi quickly tasted the arm, and then got serious again.

"Simple. When I investigated the event from two years ago, I met with a Forger friend I know".

"A forger...friend?"

"He forges IDs, but only for people who need them. I dont mean running from the police or committing murder need. I mean, escaping an abusive spouse or being threatened by a psycho stalker need. He seems like a bad guy, but he is a good guy".

"I see. And how does that relate?"

"Well, children who dont get found quickly either A: end up dead, or B: are shipped and sold to somewhere outside the country. Often, to make it harder for their story to be believed, the latter sets up a passport for the country they are sent to, as well as a history of running away, lying to the police, pulling pranks and such".

"But your Forger friend..."

"Doesn't do that, but he knows who does. But, it was him who made the IDs. But not for today, for two years ago. For a mother and son. Right near where the Kazuka family lived. In other words..."

"I see...so you realized the woman ran away with her son. But why did you think she wasn't just murdered before they escaped?"

"While the fake husband was acting, he honestly did carry around her photo. Even if he was abusive, he was still a loving father I am guessing, correct? And so, the time that he spent hidden away with his son in shock and worry and grief...he was instead having you made. He probably sold it easily to the other CEOs...something like having their primary banking software not in a building that people might locate, but disguised as a child, mobile. I must admit, they made you very advanced. You might be acting more robotic right now...but, there is no way one can successfully act and fool a bunch of gradeschoolers for that long. Which means, you have actual emotions, correct?"

Makoto could not help but smile. "You truly are a Great Detective...tell me the rest, please".

"Very well. Another detail that let me figure out it couldn't be her really in the message was because she would have known you were not the real Makoto. Hence, it was a fake. That said...why did you go with them?"

"I was worried for the other kids around like me...I suppose. I didn't want anyone else to get caught up in what would happen".

"Heh...sounds about right. Anyways, as for the reason one of them disguised themselves as the father to trick us, they wanted to think the father was still out there. By showing the father out there, they would not realize they had already gotten him, and made him give up the security codes. After that...erm, where? Back of the neck?"

"Its too risky and too obvious. The port is...right above my butt, on the waist. That is why they removed my clothes, to get to the data ports".

At this, he showed them how to open it up, and a small panel opened up on his back.

"Billions of dollars went into me...so..."

"You are water proof, right? I figured since there was a photo of you in a swimsuit. They went that far into detail that you can enter water without fear".

"Yep! Still though...that is pretty amazing".

"Yeah. You know the story about the rescue of course. Its a pretty simple plan. I distract up front, Akira takes out the guards in the back, and Yuu smuggles you out".

"So...what now?" Makoto asked. "Its not like I can stay here. I mean, I might seem human, but I am not really human...I dont want to return to the bank, not with father dead...but, I dont fit in anywhere".

"That is why...I want you to join us" Kobayashi said. "You know, originally we considered calling ourselves the Detective Boys Club, but then we ended up with the name Alley Street Irregulars. You know why? Because each and every one of us is Irregular".

Some girls in the bath shrugged, a few boys snickered, and Akira just nodded.

"All of us are here because we dont belong anywhere. According to the system that the government has set up, we dont exist. We are discarded children of whores in the red light district we live in. Or illegal immigrants who never bothered to register us. Children of those who were smuggled here to do slave labor. Children born and raised to...satisfy certain cravings of certain adults. Shrimps, weirdos, freaks. We are the Alley Street Irregulars...those who do not exist. Those who fit in nowhere else, may find their homes here. So you see, you will fit right in".

Makoto could not help but start crying...a robot with the ability to cry, clearly something that was designed with super advanced and expensive materials. But also, likely would be considered a material possession, locked in some room by the bank. Maybe they had a way to disable his emotions, but that would be like murder, at least in Kobayashi's eyes. Which is why he did all this. He is sure Moriarty and Poirot probably figured it out as well, but...it was Kobayashi who could give Makoto a place. So they likely said nothing.

"Okay...I accept...that said..."

He quickly grabbed hold of Akira and Kobayashi and tackled them to the ground.

"Wow, you both have some seriously abnormal cellular development".

"Hey hey!"

"What the!"

"You did this to me, so this is my revenge!"

"Yeah, revenge!"

"You can do it Makoto!"

"Vengence!"

"Ehhh?! But he is an AI robot that looks human, I couldn't help but contain my curiosity!"

"Speaking of butts...oh wow, Akira, your muscle development on the outside looks slim, but I can tell...this is really dense! You are really strong aren't you!"

"Hold on! Mercy!"

"Ahahaha! That tickles!"

* * *

Meanwhile, at Mrs. Hudson's house...

"I still cant believe how annoying that brat is...not just Poirot, calling in the police like that when it could jeapordize everything, but also that brat, making off with the robot".

"Still though, it clearly has real emotions, just like you...besides, along with Poirot, that boy saved you, you realize this right? The two of you...Sherlock and Moriarty, this new arrangement has saved you all".

Moriarty looked out the window, and grimenced.

"Im not so sure..."

"Well I am! Moriarty and Sherlock, always against each other, because of that mindset of having a single adversary. You two obsessed with each other so much, it nearly drove you both to your deaths. ANd I wont let it happen again. The thing that your mind needs...that Sherlock's mind needs...was something new. Something beyond a single adversary. A Circle of Detectives, of great minds who will challenge you to your core. And once everything is done, and Sherlock returns, it will be complete. But you need to test the waters, get yourself a place in this world, and you need to finish what was started. So you can step into the light".

"Yes, Mrs. Hudson...I suppose I cant argue with results, now can I?"

* * *

Meanwhile, after she was finally released from the police station, the detective, Danaya, who allowed herself to sift into the background, had a new bone she could not let go of. A case that she noticed, that she could not help but notice.

The Alley Street Boys.

She had heard of them, but after seeing them, she knew something was up. She could feel it, all three detectives were hiding something. Moriarty, Poirot, those two had secrets as well. But that boy, Kobayashi...and that other boy, Akira. Their abilities were just not normal, not for children.

And then, she looked at the rumors she had been chasing. Abnormal incidents, cases. Of course, there was no such thing as magic. However, she had the strangest of feelings that if she looked into the case, she would find something she had been looking for, a search she had for a long time now.

And so, as more detectives would pour into the city to match wits with the Circle of Detectives, one new Detective in particular began to take a road that would put her right into the spotlight...and right into danger.


End file.
